Flangeway guard for highway crossings



06L 1927' P. E. GERHARD FLANGE-WAY GUARD FOR- HIGHWAY CROSSINGS Filed Jan. 15, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l u wt P figs/mm ATTORNEY P. E. GERHARD FLANGE WAY GUARD FOR HIGHWAY GROSSINGS Oct. 11', 1927.

5 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1927 INVENTOR a/fwam 1 ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1927. ,645,279

P. E. GERHARD FLANGE-WAY GUARD FOR HIGHWAY- CROSSINGS Filed Jar 1.15, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR ATTORNEY ct. 192 0 7 P. E. GERHARD FLANGE-WAY GUARD Fm HIGHWAY CROSSYINGS Filed Jan.l5, 1927 5 Sheets-,Shet 4 ATTOR N EY 13 P. E. GERHARD FLANGE-WAY GUARD FOR HIGHWAY CROSSINGS Filed Jan. 15, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Pall! i Ger/24rd ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNITIEB $TATE' ears rice.

rater. n. an-Ha ti er ani-men, rnnnsr'nven n, sszenon ro LEBANON sTE in FOUNDBY, on Lses io t, snnns nvnn n, a eo oae'ri'oit or rnnnsYLvA rAfl FLA DIGEVVAY GUARD FOB HIGI-El/VAY CRGSSZNGS.

Application filed January 15, 1927. serial No. 161,; 65.

This invention relates to improvements in a downwardly tapered and inwardly flared,

fiaiigeway guards ior highway crossings.

It is an object of this invention to make up each fiangeway guard of suitable short length sections so that the required number of sections may be furnished to provide ditterent lengths of guards lt -or different lengths of highwaycr'ossings which vary anywhere from twenty feet to one hundred feet, more or less, in track rail direction length.

In accordance with this invention, each flangeway guare includes, almost invariably, a "pluralityot intermediate sections. These intermediate sections are aligned, in highway crossing installations; and each end section of an alignment of a plurality of sections is connected with an end section having a head, the Outward end of which tapers downwardly to its free end, this tapered end section being also outwardly flared. Thus, in accordance with this invention, each flangeway guard includes one or more endwise aligned, intermediate sections and two therewith connected end sections, each of which has a downwardly tapered top surface and Elie upoutwardly'flared free end porti n standing webs of the intermed sections are provided with openings along thenlengths i'or interlockingreception of plastic paving material. All the sections have horizontal base flanges provided with holes, through which the sections are spiked to crossties, one set of sections being locatec inwardly ofone, and the other set of sections being located inwardly of the other, tr ck rail. The end sections are made as rights and lefts, but are otherwise identical; and uldClng means are provided as hereinafter explained. Each section includes a base flange ,spiliable to crossties, and an integral upstanding webhaving an integral head.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof and illustrating the invention,

Fig. l is a transverse vertical section, at line 11 of 3, showing a track rail and flangeway guard installation containing the present invention, on a crosstie.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view showing a pair of track rails with a pair of llaijigeway guards installed between them.

Fig. 3 is a top plan, diagrammatic view, on a small scale, of an installation such as indicated in Fig. 2, the view' showing each flangewayguard terminating at each end in e and end oi Fig. 5 and illustrates a tongue and sock et joint structure between ab'utted ends a, an

intermediate sectionand an end section.

Fi 7 s a pl f a right hai an Section. W

F 8 is-a side view of a right hand end section. v I

F 9 s a Pla i w f l ft-h m e section. I i v is- 10 i a e ie of a lef han end section. I Fig. 11 is a perspective View of a rail- Way t hig way ro in pr v d d ith flangeway guards such as shown in'the pre- Qed s sur v, pa ing a r bei g Shown between the flangeway guards and having its edge nt rlo ked wi h S s e-I s th ic s eng hwi e ,e ndi g p n g i th 11 standing webs of theflangeway gi ard sections. i 7

F ig. l2 is a perspective view illustrating a q fi 'a n n w i h a interm d a 9 tion has an out-turned head forming ian under r c s in hich an 01 Projec ns, interlocking tongue is welded. This shows a portion of ,t-he'transverse brace illustrated in Fig. 4. i i

Fig. 13 is a perspective View similar i F 12 but shows a bracket brace in place.

Fig. 1 4t is a perspective viewsimiljar to the Views in Figs. 12 and 13, but shows a bijfl k et brace having a cross head adjacent which the shank of the brace passes through op posedrecesses in the abutted ends of an intermediate and an end, section; r

Fig. 15 is a perspective View illustrating a differentcross-sectional form of'a guard section. I i Figs. 16, l7, l8 and 19, also, respectively show difierent cross-sectional forms of a guardway section.

Fig. 20 is a perspective .Vi6W... l1oWiI1g two intermediate sections connected together by the cross head of a bracket brace. The view also shows an intermediate section and an end section connected together by the ends of the cross head of the bracket brace. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of another form of bracket brace detached.

In the drawings, the intermediate portion of each flangeway guard is indicated by A applied to. the inwardly turned, horizontal base flange of each constituent section; and

each end section of each flangeway guard is indicated by A applied to its inturned, horizontal base'flange. In each guard, the

-. intermediate portion has aligned with it, and in contact with each of its constituent and sections, one of the end sections A the free end portion of each end section A havinga head that tapers downwardly in the direction of its free end wall and that also flaresinwardly away from the adjacent side of'fa track rail. Crossties are indicated by V 1'; a rail plate by 2,211 trackrail base by 3,

and a track rail headby 4.

Inwardly and spaced apart from each track rail there is mounted a fiangeway .guard, having an intermediate portion which includes a plurality of intermediate sections A, the horizontal base flanges of which extend inwardly; that is, in a direction away from the adjacent track rail.

Each section 'A includes anupstanding outwardly and upwardly slanting web 5 integral with the base flange and which, at each end, merges with a vertical web 6 also in tegral with the base flange. The base flanges of the sections A and of thetwo end sections A are provided with a series'of spike receiving holes, and the base flange of each section v is spiked at 7 to a crosstie adjacent but spaced inwardly apart from the rail plate and track rail. Each end web 6 of an assemblage of intermediate sections is provided with a horizontal bolt hole 8 for reception of a threaded clamping bolt 9, the head 10 of which bears on the outward surface of a vertical web 6. The threaded end 90f the bolt'is provided with a nut 11 which clamps against the horizontal end 12 of a bracing member in contact with the inner side of a web 6. The horizontal end 12 ofthe bracing member may be, as shown in Figs. 1, 2

and 3, the upper end of a bracket brace 13,

tion of a web 6 downwardly and -inwardly to the crosstie, bracingly connect the flangeway guard and the cross tie and are em.- bedded in the paving material P (Fig. 11)

and are thus removed from injurious contact by loaded vehicles travelling over the highway crossing.

In the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, the free end portion of each assemblage of intermediate sections is provided, near its head, with an integral,

horizontal, projecting tongue 16; and the inner end of each end section A is provided with a horizontal tongue receiving recess 17 in its head. The heads of all the sections in each guard are alinged, except at the free end portion of each end section. Each end section A has a web 5" in alignment with the web 5 of an intermediate section A and has a vertical web 6 aligned with the web 6 of an intermediate section. The web 6 of the end section has a bolt receiving hole 8 in horizontal alignment with the bolt hole 8 of the end section, and the horizontal upper-end 12 of a bracket 13 laps each two adjacent webs 6 and 6 whereby the abutting ends of the intermediate section and of an end section are tied together in their lengthwise directions. The tongues 16 of an intermediate section adjacent an end section are entered severally in a socket 17 of an end section, preventing upward displacement of the interlocked sections, relatively one to'another; the walls of sockets 17 extending above and below the tongues.

' Each intermediate section A and each end section A is provided with a series of openings 18 through which the plastic paving material will project for anchorage of the edges of the paving in the flangeway guards.

As shown in Fig. 4, the horizontal, bent ends of a transverse brace or tie-bar 19 may be bolted to adjacent section webs 6 or 6 and 6"-. At the adjacent section webs 6 and 6, the bent ends are indicated by 20 and correspond to the horizontal ends 12 of the bracket brace 13. Like the bracket braces, the transverse braces are embedded in the paving material. The heads 21 of the intermediate members are integral with their upstanding webs and such webs'are integral with the base flange. Said heads 21 are aligned one with another; and also with the inturned portion 22 of the heads of the end sections A, the outer portions of these heads tapering at 23" downwardly and flaring inwardly at 23 as best shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive. The i'nturned portions 22 of the heads of the end sections, their upstanding webs and base flanges are all integral one with another. The spike holes through the base flangesof sections A and A are indicated by 14 The constituent sections A of the intermediateportion of the fiange-way guard,'between its two end sections A are inechanical'ly locked together by a horizontal brace nieniber end 12 or 20, according to the forms of brace used; and for the purpose of this invention, in its broader aspect, the sections are considered as being united by lengthwise extending tie-plates, brace member ends 12 and forming such tie-plates and the same overlapping each or" two abutting sections and being bolted in place. Such bolted tie-plates also resist and prevent v'ert'ical displacement of the abutting ends of the sections.

The base flanges of all the sections project from the inward side or" their webs so that the heel portion of each section is nearest the adjacent track rail; and the base flanges are all mounted fiatwise on the crossties and spikeddirectly thereto, out of contact with the rail plates and track rails in order that the sections of the fiangeway guards, and each guard in its entirety, may be installed out of metallic contactwith rail plate and track railsto prevent or nininiize short circuiting of railway safety signal currents in track rails. In all tornisot the invention, whether the braces are. bracket braces as shownin 'some'ot the figures or are of horizontal tie rod o'r tie. plate construction, the braces are embedded in the paving inaterial and thereby held 'downwardly. Such enibedinentot' the braces "not only prevents wheels of vehicles moving across the railw'ay crossings fr'oin injuring or loosening the braces, but also prevents the braces from risin upwardly under any upward spring of end portions of the fiangeway guard members. In the preferred construction, the top flange ot the upstanding web "or each fiangcway guard section turns outwardly in the direction of the base flange, both flanges projecting away troni the rail opposing side 01" the web of each nie'i'nber. By the tei'in rail opposingv side is "meant the inward side of each fiangeway guard section that is installa'ble adjacent a side of a track rail.

In F 12, -sections A and A' are shown connected by an end 20 oi? a transverse brace or tie-bar. The cross sectioi'i'alco'ntours of sections A and A differ from the cross sectional contours above mentioned. lVeb 24 vertical and has its upper, margin 25 turned over, outwardly along its length. A n interlocking tongue 26 has an end portion 27 welded in place under the outwardly turned flange 25. Similarly, at the joint between sections A and A this interlocking tongue arrangement is shown both ends or" the tongue being welded in place.

In Fig. 13, the cross sectional contour of the sections is the saline as that shown in Fig. 12, but in this case one of the bracket bracesjis used instead ofthe trans'i 'e'rse brace.

In Fig. 14, the cross sectional contours of the sections A and are the. same as those shown in Figs. '12 and 13, but ahorizontal, brace head being't'u rned downwardly and upward bracket brace 28 having a rigid cross head 29 anda base flange 30 is spiked at 31 to the crosstie. The 'shankof the bracket, back of the head, passes through opposed recesses at 28 tl" cross head ends being welded or ee" ise hired to an opposed wall of the section. The shank 28 by passing through the opposed recesses prevents displacement of the abutted end sections relatively one to aiiotl'i'er. The under walls of the recesses 'to'rin bearings for the under sideof the shank wl'iere it passes through the recesses, The cross head of the bracket brace is positioned on the outward side of the meeting ends of the two 'tla'ngeway guard sections. Thus each bracket serves to connect two, 'end'wise abutted, "tl'angeway guard sections to a crosstie or other track rail support, and also to connect the endwisev abutte'd, 'fiangeway guard sections endwisc, and also to prevent upward displa-ceinei'it of the ends, either or both, 01" the endwise abutted, fl'angeway guard sections.

In Fig. 15, I show a section A of cross section above ine'i'itio'ned. In this case, the section has a vertical web '32 and a flat base 33; its head is turned over in the direction of the rail it'o'rniing a bend 3 1 which terminates in a'horizonta'l flange the edge of t in an installation faces the adjacent rail web.

In Fig. 1?, I show still "another cross sectional contour of a section A. In this sechen, the vertical web tQ has a spika'b'le,

flange 41, the web at its 'ly at 12. s

In 18,1 show still another cross sectional contour of a section A in which the web at?) has a iiorizo'nt al, flat spikable base flange fit, the webwia extending upwardly into a lengthwise t rough'e d portion 45 provided with an injtu'rned, horizontal head h).

In Fig- 19, I show still another cross sec tional contour of a section A in which the web slants upwardly and outward-1y and has a horzonta'l base 48 spiked to a ci'osstie; terminates upwardly iii an inturned head 49, and is provided along its side adjacent the rail with a lengthwise trough shaped flange 50. V

The-structures shown in Figs. 1to 10, inclusive, are preferably castings. The guard rail sections shown in Figs. 12 to 19. inclusive, are preferably rolled -sha-pes.--

The diflerent cross sectional. shapes or contours of the sections are shown in order to indicate more clearly the fact that flangeway guua'rds embodying my invention, may be made in a variety of shapes without departure from my invention. Furthermore, the various shapes may be made by drop nforging instead of by casting or rollin The cross sectional shapes of the sections A, illustrated in all the figures herein described may be used in connection with section A of approximately the same crosssection.

Advantages of flangeway guards embodying my invention, are: They can be made in. sections, the end sect-ions being rights and lefts so that a series of sections can be aligned, endwise interlocked or connected by tie-plates; and also braced between a pair of the flangeway guards, either by the bracket braces spiked to the crossti s or by the transverse tie-bar form of brace above described;the spiking of the flangeway guard members or sections directly to the crossties, without engaging them with any of the railway t 'ack elements, other than the crossties; and the interlocking plastic pavement with the flangeway guard webs by. projection of thepaving material through the lengthwise series of openings therefor in the opposed webs of the flangeway guards. I

The bracket brace 28 shown in Fig. 14 is, for many installations, the best form of brace known to me. The'ends of the cross head, as shown in Fig 14, are preferably welded in place as above described, but the cross head may be used Whenever desired with each of its ends inserted in a horizontal socket comparable to 17, such socket being formed in the ends of sections that are to be abutted. In other words while in Fi 5 the tongue'16 is integral with an intermediate section, yet obviously the intermediate section may be formed with a socket 17 complementary to the one shown in Fig. 6/ The bracket brace 28 is shown detached in Fig. 21 and is illustrated in Fig. 2O with the ends 28 of its cross head in opposed recesses, one in the end of an intermediate sec tion and one in the inward end of. an end section. The bracket braces, aswell as the cross ties may, of course, be used in connection with the meeting ends of intermediate sections.

Some features of my invention shown in the drawings and above described are not herein claimed as they are also set forth and form a part of the subject matter of my application Ser. No. 197 ,774. filed the 10th day of June, 1927. This latter application is in the nature of a division of this present application.

What I claim is: p j j 1. As a. new article of manufacture, a

flangeway guard comprising alined sections two of which are right and left hand end sections, each end section having a clownwardly tapered and outwardly flared end portion, and means for lengthwise connecting abutting ends of said sections; each section having an. upwardly extending web, a base flange integral therewith and provided with holes for the passage of fasteners; said web, having an integral top flange, said flanges extending throughout the length of the web and projecting away from the web in the same direction; means for lengthwise connecting said members together in the lengthwise direction at opposed ends of said members; and other means engaging the webs of adjacent members. at the opposed ends of said members, for preventing upward displacement of one member in relation to another.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a flangeway guard comprising alinable sections two of which are right and left hand end sections, each end section having a downwardly tapered and outwardly flared end portion; and means for lengthwise connecting abutted ends of .said sections; each section having av base flange provided with holes for passage of'fasteners, an integral upstanding-web and a therewith vertical integral top flange; and said means being adapted toprevent upward displacement of the connected ends of the sections, said flanges projecting inwardly of the sections, and the abuttable end portions of the sections being provided with bolt holes.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a.

flangeway guard including a plurality of lengthwise alinable sections two of which are rightand left hand end sections; each section having a horizontal base flange provided with holesfor passage of fasteners, and each end section having an integral slanting top which is flared inwardly; and tongue and socket means for connecting an end section with a section between it and the other end section.

4. The combination with, track rail sup ports, of a pair of laterally spaced apart flangeway guards each made up of a plurality of sections two of which are right and left hand end sections, and each having a base flange provided with fastener receiving holes; fasteners for holding the base flange on the rail supports; and flangeway guard bracing means located between said guards.

5. The combination with track rail supports, of a flangeway-guard including a plurality of aligned and abutting sections each section having a base flange and an upstanding web; a tie-plate overlapping a joint between two abutted sections; and

6. The combination with track. rail sup ports, of a flangeway guard including a plurality of aligned and abutting sections each section having a base flange and an upstanding web; a tie plate, and means for clamping each end of the tie-plate to a section, the tie-plate forming part of a brace having an end anchored at an inward side of the tlangeway guard.

7. In a fiangeway guard construction, the combination with a pair of alined and endwise opposed, guard forming members, of a horizontal connecting bar uniting adjacent end portions of said members, and means to prevent upward movement of said members relatively to said bar, when in use.

8. In a flangeway guard construction, the combination with a pair of alined and endwise opposed, guard forming members, of a horizontal connecting bar uniting adjacent end portions of said members, and means to prevent upward movement or" said members relatively to said bar, when in use; said bar being fixed and projecting from an end of one of said members, and the other member having a socket in which 'the projecting end of said bar is received.

9. In flangeway guard construction, the combination with track rail supports and track rails, of alined, endwise opposed fiangeway guard members; and means, for connecting said members together in the lengthwise direction, at opposed ends of said members, and other means located at the opposed ends of said members for preventing upward displacement of the connected ends of said members relatively one to another.

10. The combination with cross ties for railway track rails; rail plates, and track rails, of a pair of laterally spaced apart flangeway guards each made up of a plurality of sections two of which are right and left hand end sections, each section having a base flange provided with fastener receiving holes and extending in a direction away from an adjacent track rail; fasteners for holding the base flange directly on the rail supports and out of contact with adjacent rail plates and track rails; and flangeway guard bracing means located between said guards.

11. The combination with cross-ties for railway track rails; rail plates, and track rails, of a pair of laterally spaced apart flangeway guards each made up of a plurality of sections two of which are right and left hand end sections, each section having a base flange provided with fastener receiving holes and extending in a direction away from an adjacent track rail; fasteners for holding the base flange directly on the rail supports and out of contact with adjacent rail plates and track rails; and fiangeway guard bracing means located between said guards; and, between said flangeway guards, paving material embedding the bracing means; said bracing means beingdetachably connected with the fiangeway guards.

12. The combination with track rail sup ports, of a flange-way guard including a. plurality of aligned and abutting sections each section having a base flange and an upstanding web; a tie plate; and means for clamping each end of the tie plate to a section, the tie plate forming part of a brace having an end anchored at an inward side of the fiangeway guard; and paving material in which said brace is embedded.

Signed at Lebanon in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania this 31st day of December, A. D. 1926.

PAUL E. GERHARD. 

